RICHMOND, VA. - Freshman Jon Guida's (Martinsville, N.J./Bridgewater Raritan) game-winning RBI single in the top of the 11th propelled the Monmouth University baseball team to a 6-5 win over Virginia Commonwealth, Sunday afternoon at The Diamond. The Hawks, who received 5.1 innings of scoreless relief from rookie Andrew McGee (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South), improve to 2-1 with the win while the Rams fall to 2-4 on the year.
Senior Ryan Terry (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) lead off the 11th inning with a bunt single and advanced to second on junior Anthony Lawrence's (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) sacrifice bunt. After a Jamie Rosenkranz (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township) pop up and an intentional walk to Cal Costanzo (Edison, N.J./Edison), Guida delivered the game-winning single to center, scoring Terry. McGee shut down the Rams in the bottom half of the inning by striking out two and inducing a ground-out despite giving up a leadoff single.
MU jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning as Steve Sanguiliano (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) walked to start the game. After stealing second, the senior was driven home by Rosenkranz's single to left field, putting the Hawks ahead, 1-0.
The Blue and White continued to add to its lead in the second as Ed Martin (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan [Brookdale]) was plunked by Rams' starter Ryan Farrar and juniors Owen Stewart (Howell, N.J./St. Rose) and Josh Boyd (Port Murray, N.J./West Morris Catholic) followed with back-to-back walks. Sanguiliano's sacrifice fly to left scored Martin pushing the Hawks lead to two.
Senior Nick Pulsonetti (Old Tappan, N.J./Northern Valley Regional-Old Tappan) started the third inning with a single to left and found himself on third after a fielding error by Rams' left fielder John Lenherr. Rosenkranz single to center plated Pulsonetti, giving MU a 3-0 advantage.
The Ram's answered in the fourth on Joey Cujas' single through the left side, scoring Lenherr and cutting the Hawks' lead to 3-1. The Blue and White responded in the fifth tacking on another run on Costanzo's single to center, scoring Terry who doubled to lead off the frame making the score 4-1.
Monmouth pushed ahead 5-1 in the sixth as Martin received a free pass by Rams' reliever Ryan Morrison and moved to second on Stewart's sacrifice bunt. Boyd followed with a RBI single through the right side scoring Martin, giving the Hawks the four run cushion.
The Ram's knotted the score at 5-5 in the both half of the sixth scoring four runs on three hits, highlighted by Taylor Perkins' triple to right and Cujas' single up the middle.
Rosenkranz led the Blue and White's offense, recorded a team-high three hits while driving in two.
Sophomore starter Dan Smith (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) threw 5.1 innings for the Hawks, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out two. Classmate Neil Harm (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) faced three batters, striking out one while McGee, who is credited with his first colligate win threw 5.1 scoreless frames, allowing two hits while fanning three. Jonathan Watson is credited with the loss for VCU, which used eight different pitchers in the contest.
The Hawks, who have won a season-opening series for the first time since 2007, returns to action on Friday, March 4th, when they travel to Boca Raton, Florida to open up a three-game series with Florida Atlantic. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
